The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

172 THE CANVTERBURY TALES.
Till that a man be hent right by the lappe,1 So for to worke give me wit and space,
He is not ware the fiend hath him in hand; That I be quit from thennes that most derk is; 19
Well ought we work, and idleness withstand. O thou, that art so fair and full of grace,
And though men dreaded never for to die, Be thou mine advocate in that high place,
Yet see men well by reason, doubtiless, Where as withouten end is sung Osanne,
That idleness is root of sluggardy, Thou Christe's mother, daughter dear of
Of which there cometh never good increase; Anne.
And see that sloth them holdeth in a leas," And of thy light my soul in prison light,
Only to sleep, and for to eat and drink, That troubled is by the contagi6n
And to devouren all that others swink.3 Of my body, and also by the weight
And, for to put us from such idleness, Of earthly lust and false affecti6n;
That cause is of so great confusi6n, 0 hav'n of refuge, O salvati6n
I have here done my faithful business, Of them that be in sorrow and distress,
After the Legend, in translation Now help, for to my work I will me dress.
Right of thy glorious life and passi6n,- Yet pray I you, that reade what I write,l7
Thou with thy garland wrought of rose and lily, Forgive me that I do no diligence
Thee mean I, maid and martyr, Saint Cecilie. This ilk 20 story subtilly t' indite.
And thou, thou art the flow'r of virgins all, For both have I the words and sentnce
Of whom that Bernard list so well to write,4 Of him that at the saintd's reverence
To thee at my beginning first I call; The story wrote, and follow her legend;
Thou comfort of us wretches, do me indite And pray you that you will my work amend.
Thy maiden's death, that won through her First will I you the name of Saint Cecilie
merite Expound, as men may in her story see.
Th' eternal life, and o'er the fiend vict6ry, It is to say in English, Heaven's lily,21
As man may after readen in her story. For puri chasteness of virginity;
Thou maid and mother, daughter of thy Son, Or, for she whiteness had of honesty,22
Thou well of mercy, sinful soules' cure, And green of conscience, and of good fame
In whom that God of bounte chose to won; 5 The sweete savour, Lilie was her name.
Thou humble and high o'er every creature, Or Cecilie is to say, the way of blind; 2
Thou nobilest, so far forth our natfre,6 For she example was by good teaching;
That no disdain the Maker had of kind,7 Or else Cecilie, as I written find,
His Son in blood and flesh to clothe and wind.8 Is joined by amanner conjoining
Within the cloister of thy blissful sides Of heaven and Lia,24 and herein figuring
Took manne's shape th' eternal love and peace, The heaven is set for thought of holiness,
That of the trini compass 9 Lord and guide is; And Lice for her lasting business.
Whom earth, and sea, andheav'n, out of release,0 Cecilie may eke be said in this mannere,
Aye hery; 1 and thou, Virgin wemmeless,12 Wanting of blindness, for her greate light
Bare of thy body, and dweltest maiden pure, Of sapience, and for her thewes 25 clear.
The Creat6r of every creature. Or elles, lo, this maiden's name bright
Assembled is in thee magnificence 13 Of heaven and Leos comes, for which by right
With mercy, goodness, and with such pitt, Men might her well the heaven of people call,
That thou, that art the sun of excellence, Example of good and wise workes all;
Not only helpest them that pray to thee, For Leos people 26 in English is to say; 7
But oftentime, of thy benignity, And right as men may in the heaven see
Full freely, ere that men thine help beseech, The sun and moon, and starres every way,
Thou go'st before, and art their livis' leech.l4 Right so men ghostly,28 in this maiden free,
Now help, thou meek and blissful faire maid, Sawen of faith the magnanimity,
Me, flemed 15 wretch, in this desert of gall; And eke the clearness whole of sapience,
Think on the woman Cananee, that said And sundry workes bright of excellence.
That whelpes eat some of the crumbis all And right so as these philos6phers write,
That from their Lorde's table be y-fall; 16 That heav'n is swift and round, and eke burning,
And though that I, unworthy son of Eve,l Right so was fairi Cecilie the white
Be sinful, yet accepte my believe.ls Full swift and busy in every good working,
And, for that faith is dead withoute werkes, And round and whole 29 in good persevering,
I Skirt, or lappet, of a garment. 15 Banished, outcast. 16 Matthew xv. 26, 27.
2 Leash, snare; the same as "las," oftener used in 17 See note 19, page 171. 18 Faith.
Chaucer. 19 Delivered from that place where is outer darkness.
3 For which others labour. 2 Same.
4 The nativity and assumption of the Virgin Mary 21 Latin, "Cceli lilium." Such punning derivations
formed the themes of some of St Bernard's most elo- of proper names were very much in favour in the
quent sermons. 5 Dwell. Middle Ages. The explanations of St Cecilia's name
6 Thou noblest one, as far as our nature admitted, are literally taken from the prologue to the Latin
7 Nature. 8 Wrap. 9 The Trinity. legend. 22 Purity. 23 Latin, " Caci via."
10 Without remission, unceasingly. 24 From " Ccelum," and "ligo," I bind.
11 Praise. 12 Without blemish. 25 Qualities.
13 Compare with this stanza the fourth stanza of the 26 Greek, Xaos, A?]os (Ion.) \ews (Att.), the people.
Prioress s Tale, page 144, the substance of which is the 27 Signifies. 28 Spiritually.
same. 14 healer, saviou. 29 The passage suggests Horace's description of the